Absolute constructions in early Indo-European / Antonia Ruppel.

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In the past, discussions of absolute constructions (ACs) have been limited by an imprecise understanding of what ACs are. By examining the nature and function of ACs and related constructions in Greek, Latin and Sanskrit, this new study arrives at a clear and simple definition of ACs. Focussing on the earliest attested material in each language, it highlights how AC usage differs between languages and offers explanations for these differences. Identifying the common core shared by all ACs, it suggests a starting-point and way by which they developed into Greek, Latin and Sanskrit. Further historical study reveals how ACs have been conceived of by grammarians, philologists and even Christian missionaries over the last two thousand years and how enduring misconceptions still affect our discussion of them today. All Sanskrit material is annotated in detail, making it accessible for classicists in particular and allowing a better understanding of ACs in Greek and Latin.

Cover; Absolute Constructions in Early Indo-European; CAMBRIDGE CLASSICAL STUDIES; Title; Copyright; CONTENTS; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; ABBREVIATIONS; NOTE ON TRANSLATIONS; 1 THE AC SO FAR; 1.1 Why do we need another study of absolute constructions?; 1.2 Prior research on ACs; 1.2.a The history of the term -absolute'; 1.2.b The definition of ACs; 1.2.b.i No definition; 1.2.b.ii Description instead of definition; 1.2.b.iii Sentence appositions; 1.2.b.iv Unusual case usage; 1.2.b.v Dominant participles; 1.2.b.vi Summary; 1.2.c How did ACs arise?; 1.2.c.i No view expressed

1.2.c.ii Grammatical vs. semantic case usage1.2.c.iii OV to VO: Lehmanns explanation; 1.2.c.iv Transformation; 1.2.c.v A promising approach; 1.2.d Links between ACs and other constructions; 1.2.e Summary; 1.3 The scope of this study; 1.4 Summary of findings; 2 EARLY GREEK; 2.1 Introduction; 2.2 The Genitive Absolute in Homer: an overview; 2.2.a General; 2.2.b Ambiguities; 2.2.c The nature of the absolute participle; 2.2.d Semantics; 2.3 Homeric questions; 2.3.a `Lateness': a preamble; 2.3.b Further components: signs of development?; 2.3.c Transitivity

2.3.d Genitive participles instead of an expected conjunct participle2.3.e Summary; 2.4 Future research? The Homeric GA in comparison with other means of grammatical subordination; 2.5 The GA in Hesiod; 2.6 The GA in the seventh and sixth centuries BC; 2.7 Absolute participles and related phenomena; 2.8 Conclusions; 3 EARLY LATIN; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 The Latin Ablative Absolute: an overview; 3.2.a The formal make-up of the AA; (i) A noun or pronoun combined with a present active participle; (ii) A noun or pronoun combined with a perfect passive participle

(Iii) A noun or pronoun combined with a future active participle(iv) A noun or pronoun combined with an adjective; (v) A noun or pronoun combined with another noun; (vi) Sometimes, a perfect passive participle stands on its own6; 3.2.b The AA in Early Latin: formal make-up and semantic types; 3.2.c Classical Latin; 3.3 Delineating the AA semantically: absolute and other ablatives; 3.4 Delineating the AA syntactically: obligatory and dominant nominal qualifiers across Latin; 3.4.a The ab urbe condita construction (AUC); 3.4.b The gerundive; 3.4.c Summary; 3.5 -Nominal' ACs in Latin

3.5.a Adjectival AAs3.5.b Comparative matters; 3.5.c Substantival AAs; 3.5.d *sens; 3.6 ACs in Italic; 3.7 Conclusions; 4 THE SANSKRIT LOCATIVE ABSOLUTE AND ITS SYNTACTIC SURROUNDINGS; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 Sanskrit literature: a brief sketch; 4.3 Some elements of Sanskrit grammar; 4.3.a Nominal expressions and case syntax; 4.3.b The Sanskrit locative absolute; 4.4 Supposedly absolute locatives in the Rigveda; 4.4.a Time; 4.4.b Time, space and probably both; 4.4.c Space; 4.4.d Excursus: a particularly tricky case; 4.5 Actual Rigvedic LAs: expressions of natural time; 4.6 LAs in context

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